Noise is a deceptive beast. He often builds things up only to let them down with a serious blow. And recent Apple events summed it up quite a bit. We’ve often waited for the iPhone to launch with USB-C and no notch, only to get the likes of the iPhone 13 with a Lightning port and a slightly smaller notch. And don’t forget the AirPods Pro 2, which have long been rumored but never released.
With WWDC 2022, the Apple VR/AR headset has yet to be revealed, but it may have been impressive. With RealOS in pursuit of a brand of Apple, the hype machine has apparently started to work raising expectations that Apple will talk about augmented and virtual reality at its developer-focused event.
Or maybe we’ll at least get a peek at the operating system or what Apple is doing on the AR interface with developers.
This did not happen.
This year’s WWDC didn’t disappoint, as macOS Ventura promised a slew of upgrades and potential Mac machines that are already good for gaming, the new MacBook Air 2022, the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro 2022, the Apple M2 chip, watchOS 9, iOS 16 and more. But there was no mention of augmented reality or virtual reality.
WWDC 2022: AR Absent
In fact, Apple hasn’t even specified any AR or VR capabilities in its updated developer tools or software platforms. The Cupertino crew was close to having access to AR/VR with an upgraded version of CarPlay that integrates deeply with vehicle systems; It looked great but it won’t come until late 2023.
Speaking of some time away, this is basically what WWDC has been telling us about Apple’s AR and VR software and hardware ambitions — likely not coming soon.
Rumors have swirled and rumbled on expected release dates for the Apple headset, but its latest version has an Apple AR/VR headset revealed in early 2023 by somewhat trusted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. However I don’t buy it for several reasons.
First, while Apple is notorious for being highly secretive, information still leaks. They’re not all accurate, but they often give us a good idea of what to expect from Apple’s upcoming products — that wasn’t the case for the company’s Apple AR/VR headphones or other wearables. If a product is due to be revealed early next year, I feel we will have some substantial leaked information or better offers based on anecdotes from supply chain sources.
Add to the mix the lack of any mention of AR/VR software tools in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or macOS Ventura, and I feel that developers won’t be ready to create enough apps to shape the software ecosystems Apple tends to have when launching new products.
Although virtual reality is not a very obscure technical category, it is still a niche show. Sure, the Oculus Quest 2 might be one of the most accessible virtual reality experiences, and it tops our list of the best VR headsets, but it’s far from perfect and is only meant for VR. Augmented reality is good, for example, for head-up displays in modern cars or for games like Pokémon Go. But I haven’t seen many people wearing augmented reality glasses outside and around, even those accessible from Snap Spectacles.
Apple AR/VR headset: What’s the rush?
With that in mind and how Apple tends to enter markets when technology adoption or appetite grows, and he said the technology is mature enough to deliver very great experiences (virtual reality still makes people sick), I feel 2023 is still too early for Apple You’ll walk out with an AR/VR headset.
Currently. Apple’s AR/VR efforts can in fact be a closely guarded secret, with few developers quietly building a software platform and ecosystem for a virtual or augmented reality headset. And I hope that’s the case, it’s been a while since Apple surprised tech enthusiasts with something that looks properly new.
But in the end, I want whatever AR or VR Apple is working on arrives when it’s ready; By that I mean, it’s polished to a great finish. Apple has done this many times for other technologies; For example, it was late for the high refresh rate display party, but with the iPhone 13 Pro, Apple adopted LTPO technology and delivered a great screen that looks super smooth but doesn’t degrade battery life.
If Apple’s attention to detail and product craftsmanship can be applied to AR and VR technologies, we can finally see devices taking augmented and virtual reality hardware from its rightful place to the true mainstream. It may take years for it to happen, but I’m willing to wait.
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